[13] An AACSB official to give a conference regarding the accreditation
of academic programs in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Afrika newspaper (16.03.10) reports that Nevvar
Nolan, chairman of the High Election Council, has stated that
objections were raised against two of the eight candidates in the 18
April elections and added that the examination of these objections will
be completed until Thursday the latest. In statements to the illegal
TAK news agency, Mr Nolan did not reveal the names of the two
candidates.

Afrika, however, writes that these are the Turkish Cypriot leader,
Mehmet Ali Talat and the only woman candidate, Serap Tezcan.

Meanwhile, another two newspapers, Vatan and Volkan (16.03.10) report
also that objections were raised against Mr Talats candidature by some
members of civilian organizations.

Volkan writes that Vedat Celik, former self-styled minister of foreign
affairs of the breakaway regime and member of the National Council,
Kamil Ozkaloglu, member of the administrative council of the TMT
Association and Vural Turkmen, president of the Fighters Association
were the persons who raised objections against Mr Talats candidature.
In their application they ask for the annulment of Talats candidature,
because of the following reasons:

1) Mr Talat defends solutions which will cease the existence of the
TRNC. 2) He gave up the sovereignty of the people contrary to his oath
at the assembly. 3) He accepted the elimination of the right of the
Turkish Cypriot people for self-determination. 4) By approving the
deprival of the Turkish Cypriots from their right of leaving the
federated state which will possibly be established, he condemned them
to live forever as minority under the administration of the Greek
Cypriot majority. 5) By accepting the cross voting, he eliminated the
equality right of the Turkish Cypriots which is included in the
international agreements and paved the way for the Turkish Cypriot
representatives to be elected with the Greek Cypriot votes at the
highest levels of the federated state or the constituent state. 6) And
by accepting that the Turkish Cypriot side has no red lines, he turned
all the indispensable rights and values of the Turkish Cypriot people
into an issue of debate at the negotiating table.

Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (16.03.10) reports that
Tahsin Ertugruloglu, candidate for the so-called presidential elections
to be held on 18 April, visited yesterday the Democratic Party (DP) and
met with its chairman, Serdar Denktas with the aim to ask for his
support in the elections.

In statements after the one-hour meeting he held with the DP delegation
headed by Mr Denktas, Mr Ertugruloglu noted that he paid his first
visit to the DP with the aim of asking for support within the framework
of the program he prepared. He said he will meet with other political
parties and organizations.

On his part, Mr Denktas stated that they will evaluate Mr Ertugruloglus
candidature today in the meeting of DPs central administrative
committee. He said that by becoming a candidate, Mr Ertugruloglu used a
right he had. He noted that they might meet again with the candidates,
before announcing their decision.

Responding to a question, Mr Denktas said that the DP will choose among
three candidates: Dervis Eroglu, who is the candidate of the National
Unity Party (UBP) on the one hand, and Tahsin Ertugruloglu and Mustafa
Kemal Tumkan, who are independent, on the other.

Meanwhile, Star Kibris writes also that Mr Ertugruloglu visited the
Republican Turkish Party (CTP) and met with a delegation under its
chairman, Ferdi Sabit Soyer. In his statements, he expressed the belief
that the candidates should now put forward and discuss their visions
and targets. He said he was aware of the fact that the CTP has made its
mind up for the elections, but it would be extremely wrong not to visit
the CTP, which is one of the most fundamental political parties in the
occupied areas of Cyprus.

Furthermore, Mr Soyer expressed his satisfaction with the visit and
said that the most important thing is the dialogue between them even
though they have different views.

Finally, Star Kibris reports that the decision of the National Unity
Party (UBP) to expel Mr Ertugruloglu was submitted yesterday to the
self-styled assembly. Thus the number of the MPs of the UBP decreased
to 25.

(I/Ts.)

[03] Mustafa Kemal Tumkan visits the DP; Serdar Denktas says Tumkan is
one of the candidates they might support

Turkish Cypriot daily Vatan newspaper (16.03.10) reports that the
independent presidential candidate Mustafa Kemal Tumkan paid a visit on
Monday to the headquarters of the Democratic Party (DP) and met with
the leader of DP, Serdar Denktas for exchanging opinions and asking for
the support of DP.

According to statements made by Serdar Denktas, Mustafa Kemal Tumkan is
one of the four candidates the DP is considering to support during the
so-called presidential elections which are to be held in the occupied
territories of the Republic of Cyprus in April 2010.

Turkish Cypriot daily Star Kibris newspaper (16.03.10) reports that
Tahsin Ertugruloglu, candidate for the so-called presidential elections
to be held on 18 April, has expressed the belief that he would be
better president than Dervis Eroglu and Mehmet Ali Talat and that is
why he became a candidate. In an interview with Turkish Cypriot Ada
television, Mr Ertugruloglu said:

I believe that those who have as their starting point the mentality of
not serving the state and the people, but only certain groups of people
and those who act by not believing in the state and the sovereignty
should not become presidents and I believe in this state and in its
sovereignty. I think that the TRNC should be strengthened and live
forever. Neither Mr Talat nor Mr Eroglu has this vision. That is why I
became a candidate.

(I/Ts.)

[05] An opinion poll carried out by the AKP in February showed Eroglu
leading with 37.7%

Turkish Cypriot daily Halkin Sesi newspaper (16.03.10), in a front-page
report titled AKP survey shows Eroglu first, publishes the results of
an opinion poll on public attitudes in the occupied areas of the
Republic of Cyprus ahead of the April 18 presidential elections.

The survey was conducted by Ankara-based Pollmark Research Company on
the account of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP). The
survey was carried out between 17-23 February 2010 in the occupied
areas using a sample of 1,466 voters.

According to the survey, Eroglu leads Talat by 13 points. Some 37.7% of
the respondents said they intend to vote for Eroglu, while 24.8% of the
respondents will cast their ballot for Talat. Some 25.5% of respondents
said they are undecided, while only 1.4% replied that they will vote
other candidates. Some 10.6% of respondents said that they will not
vote.

Replying to the question, 'which political leader you find more
successful besides Talat and Eroglu', 10.2% of respondents said Rauf
Denktas. Mustafa Akinci followed with 5.2%. Tahsin Ertugruloglu came
third with 3.3%.

(DPs)

[06] Data on the increase of the electorate in occupied Cyprus by 2.597
persons within a year

Under the title The electorate increased by 2.597 within a year,
Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (16.03.10) publishes data
according to which the electorate in the occupied territories of the
Republic of Cyprus increased by 2.597 persons during 2010 in comparison
to 2009. According to the paper, in 2010 the electorate reached 163.970
persons in comparison to 161.373 persons in 2009.

As a result, the distribution of the voters in the occupied territories
in 2009 and 2010 is as follows:

Cenk Mutluyakali, editor-in-chief of Yeni Duzen, wonders whether this
increase is normal or is the result of the distribution of the
citizenship to more people and asks for the issue to be investigated in
more detail.

(ML)

[07] Soyer says that the solution of the Cyprus problem is inevitable
and can be achieved only by Talat

Turkish Cypriot daily Yeni Duzen newspaper (16.03.10) reports on
statements made by the chairman of the Republican Turkish Party (CTP)
Ferdi Sabit Soyer in occupied Gialousa and Rizokarpaso villages on
Monday. Briefing the residents of the occupied Giallousa village on the
negotiation process between President Demetris Christofias and Turkish
Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat for reaching to a solution of the
Cyprus problem, Mr Soyer said: At the point reached, solution is
inevitable and the solution can be achieved only by Talat.

(ML)

[08] EU Commissioner urged Turkey to open its ports to Cyprus vessels.
Davutoglu alleged that Turkeys EU process should not be affected by
political problems like Cyprus

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Monday that European
Union (EU) was a strategical essential target for Turkey.

Speaking at a joint news conference with EU Commissioner for
enlargement Stefan Fuele, Davutoglu said their meeting focused on three
main topics, naming them as the strategic vision of Turkey-EU
relations, the course of the negotiation process as well as the
coordination of policies Turkey and EU carried out regarding
neighboring regions.

Davutoglu said he had a very fruitful meeting in the weekend in Finland
on the strategic vision of Turkey-EU relations. "EU is our common unity
and Europe is our common continent," he said.

Turkeys membership is an opportunity for the EU and EU membership is an
extremely important strategically essential target for Turkey,"
Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu said they also discussed the course of the negotiation
process, noting that he told Fuele that Turkey's EU process should not
be affected by political problems like Cyprus which were not directly
related to the matter.

Davutoglu said they discussed the Cyprus question comprehensively,
exchanged views towards a comprehensive and lasting peace and shared
the view that talks should be speeded up.

Davutoglu said he gave information to Fuele about the ongoing political
reforms in Turkey and once again relayed the EU Turkey's demand for
visa exemption by taking into consideration previous legal
commitments.Davutoglu said they also discussed the developments in the
Western Balkans, Caucasus, West Mediterranean, neighboring countries
and energy security issues.

He said: "We reached to a consensus of opinion that EU should establish
a new strategic dialogue mechanism with Turkey after Lisbon Agreement."
EU Commissioner for enlargement Stefan Fuele on Monday reaffirmed his
support to Turkey's accession talks and bid to join the European Union
(EU).

Fuele also underlined his support to the efforts to normalize relations
between Turkey and Armenia while speaking at a joint news conference
with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu in Ankara.

Fuele said he welcome Turkey's policy of zero problems with its
neighbors, which was discussed at the meeting. He said he also welcome
the historical steps made between Turkey and Armenia to normalize their
relations.

Fuele said they also discussed Cyprus question adding that
implementation of the Additional Protocol was important for the EU and
urged Turkey to normalize relations with the Greek Cypriot party.

The additional protocol to the Ankara Agreement foresees extension of
Turkey's customs union deal to ten countries that joined the European
Union (EU) in 2004, including the Greek Cypriot administration.

He said any comprehensive solution that would be found on the Cyprus
question would be a historical development both for Turkey and the EU.

Reaffirming his commitment to see Turkey as a member of the EU, Fuele
said his meeting with Davutoglu focused on EU's commitments and
Turkey's requirements to make steps during the reform process.

"We have also reaffirmed that the EU should assume a role not only as
an observer but a leader of the world," he noted.

Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999. The union
launched accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005.

Asked to comment on visa liberalization to Turkey, Fuele said this was
important both for Turkey and the EU.

Fuele said some studies were in question to help Turkey deal with
illegal migration, and noted that some studies should be carried out
regarding extradition of those who went to Europe via Turkey.

EU Enlargement Commissioner said studies to liberalize visa
requirements could start in the following stages in case any progress
could be recorded in dealing with illegal migration.

Asked to comment on the approval of the Armenian resolution in the
Swedish parliament, Fuele said the commission did not make comments on
the internal decisions of the member countries.

Earlier in the day, Fuele also got together with Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan at a closed-doors meeting. Turkish State Minister
and Chief EU Negotiator Egemen Bagis were also present at the meeting.

Moreover, Hurriyet Daily News (online, 15.03.10), under the title EU
Commissioner commends Turkey for normalization efforts, reports, inter
alia: Ankara is determined not to change its position and keep its
ports closed to Greek Cypriot ships and planes unless the EU lifts
sanctions on northern Cyprus, Davutoglu said.

Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan who left for London on an official
trip Monday said Turkey wanted to further enhance ties with United
Kingdom. Erdogan, who will attend the Turkey-UK Business Forum in
London, held a press conference before his departure.

Erdogan told reporters that his visit bore importance for enhancement
of bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries in the
international arena.

He said UK had been the country that extended the greatest support to
Turkey's EU membership bid, adding that Turkey would be in close
cooperation with UK.

Erdogan said he would meet with his British counterpart Gordon Brown
and discuss bilateral relations as well as accession talks with the EU.
He said they would also discuss the Cyprus issue as well as the recent
developments in Pakistan, Yemen and Afghanistan.

Erdogan said the ongoing extensive talks in Cyprus entered a critical
stage, adding that the steps taken by the Turkish Cypriot side should
be reciprocated by the Greek Cypriot administration. He said Turkey
continued to support the guidelines for a solution, the Turkish Cypriot
and Greek Cypriot leaders agreed over on May 23, 2008.

British Liberal Democrats Foreign Relations Spokesperson Edward Davey
has said that Turkey should not be asked to abandon Cyprus for its EU
membership. If I were a Turkish politician, I would adopt a similar
stance and say we would not abandon Cyprus for EU membership he added.

Mr Davey told the Anatolian News agency that TRNC President Mehmet Ali
Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Demetris Christofias have been carrying
out praiseworthy efforts, underlining the need for Britain and the
international community to support the two leaders in their efforts
towards settling the Cyprus problem.

Commenting on claims that the presidential elections in the TRNC would
affect the negotiations process negatively, he said We hope that the
progress achieved in the last few months and the goodwill shown would
prevent backward steps, because the reward of this will be a lasting
agreement and it will be good for everyone.

[11] Chancellor Merkel to visit Turkey on March 29; Cyprus among the
issues of discussion

Turkish daily Hurriyet newspaper (16.03.10) reports that the German
Chancellor Angela Merkel will pay an official visit to Ankara on March
29 and 30 as a guest of the Turkish Prime Minster Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Chancellor Merkel, who will be accompanied by a businessmen delegation,
will focus on economic and political issues. According to the paper,
the efforts towards a solution in Cyprus as well as the lifting of the
so-called economic embargoes on the breakaway regime in the occupied
areas of the Republic of Cyprus will be among the issues of
discussion.

As the paper writes, during her two-day visit, Mrs Merkel will be
received by the Turkish President Abdullah Gul, meet with Turkish
businessmen and pay a visit to the Greek Orthodox Ecumenical
Patriarchate.

(EA)

[12] Jordanian education advisor is in the occupied areas of Cyprus
after an invitation of the illegal DAU

Turkish Cypriot daily Havadis newspaper (16.03.10) reports about the
meeting of Mr Ali Yonel, permanent undersecretary of the so-called
ministry of national education, youth and sports, and Prof. Dr.
Abdullah Oztoprak, rector of the illegal Eastern Mediterranean
University (DAU), with Jordans adviser for education and culture, Dr.
Muhammed Nasrullah. Dr. Nasrullah is in the occupied areas of the
Republic of Cyprus as a guest of the illegal DAU in order to visit the
campus of the illegal university as well as to investigate its
possibilities.

According to a statement issued by the ministry, speaking during the
meeting, the Jordanian advisor noted that in the upcoming period the
relations between them might increase. Dr. Nasrullah reportedly stated
that the TRNC is an important education island as regards its
opportunities and its possibilities and said that their relations in
higher education will continue and increase.

(EA)

[13] An AACSB official to give a conference regarding the accreditation
of academic programs in the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus

Turkish Cypriot daily Kibris newspaper (16.03.10) reports that Dean
Prof. Dr. Stephen Watson, an official of the Association to Advance
Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB), is in the occupied areas of the
Republic of Cyprus after an invitation of the Higher Education Control
and Accreditation Establishment (YODAK). As the paper writes, on March
16, Dr. Watson will give a conference at the illegal American
University of Keryneia (GAU) regarding the conditions and the processes
needed for the accreditation of the business administration programs.
Managers and academicians will attend the conference. Furthermore,
during the conference, Dr. Watson will share with the participants the
costs and the benefits of the international accreditation.

Bayrak Radio Television Corporation and the Near East University [YDU]
have signed a cooperation protocol which will enable the University to
broadcast its own programs within BRT broadcast schedule. BRT and the
NEU will also realise joint projects on educational studies, in-service
training and the preparation of programs within the framework of the
new protocol signed.

Speaking during the signing ceremony, BRT Director Ozer Kanli expressed
his willingness to cooperate with all driving forces of the society.

He underlined the important role being placed by the universities in
brightening the future of the Cyprus Turkish People.

For his part, the NEUs Founding Rector Dr. Suat Gunsel described
universities as a loom giving shape to societies and the world of
communications as a compass, showing the right way for societies.

He noted that compared to other countries, the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus has obviously increased its position in the world.

Following are the summaries of reports and commentaries of selected
items from the Turkish press on 15 March 2010:

a) Cyprus issue:

Turkish State Minister Egemen Bagis and Greek Prime Minister Papandreou
have held a "critical" meeting in Athens during which they have agreed
to implement confidence-building measures to resolve their problems in
the Aegean and Cyprus, according to a column by Hurriyet's Fatih
Cekirge. The columnist says in return for permission for a mosque in
Athens Turkey may be inclined to open the Greek seminary, adding that
Greece has realized that it has to be on good terms with Turkey in
order to reduce its defense spending. In the second part of his column,
Cekirge also repeats his previous argument that Turkey should stop the
"comical" traditional Turkish march in New York and sever its ties with
the American lobby groups for these are no more helping the Turkish
cause.

Commenting on the Cyprus problem in a column in Cumhuriyet, Mumtaz
Soysal says that the ECHR decision on empowering the Turkish Cypriot
courts on property compensation was probably a ploy by Britain to
increase current Turkish Cypriot leader Talat's reelection chances so
as to prevent the emergence of an agreement based on two states. Soysal
is amazed that Turks are happy with a development that would bring
about the demise of their cause.

b) Foreign policy issues:

As a condition for restoring normal ties, Turkey has been demanding
from the United States assurances that the Armenian bill will not be
submitted to the House of Representatives and President Obama will make
no mention of "genocide" in his 24 April statement, says Asli
Aydintasbas in a column in Hurriyet, pointing out that the American
officials are refusing to give any binding promises. The columnist says
the standoff could be resolved through a "pull-aside" meeting between
Obama and Erdogan during the nuclear security summit in Washington on
12 April. But the Turkish cabinet is divided on whether to ease the
tension with the United States; a group lead by Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu wants the adoption of hard position against the United States
until 24 April.

In his column in Taraf, Markar Esayan says that the Armenian problem
constitutes the litmus test of AKP's commitment to genuine democracy
but PM Erdogan will be unable to move forward in this area by
acknowledging the wrongs done to Armenians because of his ignorance of
the issue, nationalism, and fear of losing votes. Nevertheless, AKP's
policies have opened the way for the acknowledgment of the Armenian
issue in Turkey, says Esayan, adding that as a crucial factor for
Turkish democratization, the 1915 is more important for the future than
past.

Semih Idiz devotes his column in Milliyet to the book, "The Turkish
foreign policy has fallen into strategic depth," by Democratic Party
[DP] deputy leader Sinan Ulgen, who is also a former diplomat. Idiz
says that the book notes both the achievements and failures of FM
Davutoglu's foreign policy. In its criticism, the book says AKP's
foreign policy has become hostage to its Islamic ideology and lost
equilibrium, with the result that AKP government's ties with the EU,
US, and Israel have suffered and the erroneous protocols with Armenia
have collapsed.

Omer Taspinar warns in his column in Sabah that AKP government's
inability to handle the Cyprus and Armenian issues is distancing Turkey
from the West. Arguing that AKP is probably aggravating the situation
motivated by a desire to deny votes to the CHP and MHP, Taspinar notes
that unless the AKP stops this populist reaction to the West, it will
lose control of the country to neo-nationalists, who will then really
change Turkey's axis and take Turkey into a dangerous path away from
the West.

Ferai Tinc says in her column in Hurriyet that by mishandling the
Armenian and Azerbaijani problems Turkey discredited its role in the
Caucasus. She believes the basic component of Turkey's policy should be
to restore trust with Azerbaijan and put in place mechanisms that would
enable both countries to act in tandem from time to time, like in the
case of Armenian bills in the United States.

Also front-paged is a report entitled "No visits to US until 24 April,"
which asserts that Zafer Caglayan, State Minister in charge of Foreign
Trade, has responded to the US House decision on the Armenian
resolution by canceling the visits he was scheduled to make to the
United States before 24 April. The report quotes Caglayan as saying
that they will strengthen the Turkish Diaspora against the Armenian
Diaspora politically as well as commercially. This story is expanded
into a report on an interview with Caglayan on Yeni Safak.

In an article entitled "The Turkish-American standoff", Zaman's
Washington correspondent Ali H. Aslan asserts that the latest "crisis"
between Ankara and Washington caused by the US House Foreign Affairs
Committee's recognition of the Armenian genocide claims has revealed
the problem in Turkish-US relations to be part of a fundamental "tissue
incompatibility" between Turkey and the West, adding that Turkey's
alliance with the United States and NATO does not go any deeper than a
"realistic and pragmatic business partnership" and that there are
"considerable" social and cultural differences that make their impact
on bilateral relations at "critical" junctures.

In an article entitled "Back to reactionary foreign policy?", Today's
Zaman columnist Ihsan Dagi slams the Erdogan government for the way it
has "fallen back to the old 'reactionary' policy line" by recalling
Turkey's ambassadors to the United States and Sweden after these
countries adopted resolutions defining the 1915 events in Ottoman
Turkey as genocide of the Armenians.